Safety electric outlet



Sept. 16, 1952 s, SILVER 2,310,999

SAFETY ELECTRIC OUTLET Filed Aug. 1e, 1949 ul@ WMM 2? f 57 z? 37 I 3f 411 Z7 l m 3142 z l 4| l' I' I, -41 1 Z6 5 Z8 Z5 I| rp Z u Z6 I I Z6 Z7 ||l I I I Z8 .34" |l' ,ll .l L34 s@ Jg Z7 :s1 sa I ,l 56 .Il m I I l I I I I I I I I I I INVENTOR. SIDNEY SILVER L7. BY

Patented Sept. 16, v1952 UNITEDy STATES PATE NT OFFICE f SAFETY ELEc'rniooU'rLE'r n v Sidney Silver, Brooklyn, N. Y; l ,application 'August-16, 1949, Serial No. 110,563 v sertion of conductive` objects other vthan the prongs of an electric plug, vespecially by very small children,-With resulting damage to the electric circuit and elimination of serious burning and, in some instances,l death of the child.

Another object of the present invention proposes forming the slidewith a pair of slots spaced a distance equal Atothe spacing of the'openings with a resilient-means acting on the slide member to retain the same in a position in which the slots will be out of kalignment with the openings preventing the insertion of unauthorized objects into the openings.

Still another object of thev present invention proposes arranging the slide member so that it will have one end exposed at one side of the casing to be urged inward against the action of the resilient means to align'the slots of the slide member with the openings to permit the insertion of prongs of the plug whendesired.

A still further object of .the present invention proposes constructing the casing so that all of the operative parts of the slide members are mounted directly on the casing which has an openback closed by means of a plate which is to Abe secured to a support wall or other structure. A 'Y The present invention further proposes a novel means for releasablysecuring the casing to the plate which closes' the back of the casing so that the casing can be'separated from the plate for access to the interior thereofwithout .the use oftools. .v

ItV is a further `object of the.v present invention to construct an electric outletreceptacle which is simple and durable and which canbe manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension'of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to Athe appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawingforminga material part of the present disclosure:V

Fig. 1 is a front elevationalviewfof .the electric outlet receptacle constructed-.in accordance withV the. present invention. l

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view vlooking in the Ydirect-loner the line 2-2 ofFig. 1

1 claim. (ci. newest) ductor strips 26 of each Fig. 3 is an end elevational View looking from the left hand side of Fig. 2. v

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. f

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

"Fig 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 'I--T of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detailed view of another portion of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective'view of one of the slide members, per se.

The electric outlet receptacle, according to the present invention, includes a casing I5 having a top or front Wall I6, side Walls I'I and I8, end Walls I9 and 2D and an open back closed by means of a plate 2l. The exposed face of the top or front Wall I6 is formed with spaced recesses 22. Within each of the recesses 22 there is formed a pair of spaced openings 23 through which the spaced prongs of a. conventional electric plug, not shown, can be inserted as is generally known in the art.

Within the casing I5 there is formed a spaced pair of projections 24, one in alignment with each of the pair of openings 23. Each of the projections 24 is formed with a pair of cavities 25, see particularly Figs. 5 to 7. The construction is such that each of the openings 23 is in direct communication with one of the cavities. Within each of the cavities 25 there is a metallic conductor strip 26 of substantially inverted V- shape. Extended between the projections 24 there' is a pair of parallel metallic conductor members 21. Each of the conductor members has one of its ends secured to one of the conpair by means of a rivet 28. Mounted on each 0f the conductor members 21, intermediate of its ends there is small screw 29 which is to be used to connect the bared ends of a length of electric'wire to the conductor memw bers 2l, as isgenerally known in the art. The

K, prevent small children from poking metal objects.

end wall 20 of the casing I5 is formed with the usual notch-Siithroughfwhich the electric wire is adapted toenter the casing I5.` The prongs of the electric plug When inserted into the openings 23 will project into the cavities 25 and make electrical contact with the respective conductor strips 26.

Means is provided in connection with each pair of openings 23Jfor closing4 the openings so as to or other conductive articles into the openings and making contact with the conductor strips 26 with a resulting short circuit and possible burning of the child and even death, in some instances. That means is comprised of a pair of slide members 3| of non-conductive material formed at one of their ends with enlarged iinger engagingmportions 32. The sidewall I1 inalignment with Jeach of the projections i Minis-formed with an Vopening v33and the projections 24 be-- tween the openings 23 and the cavities 25 are,

formed with passages 34. The ends of the slider'- members 3|, opposite the enlargedf ngergerrgaging portions 32, are passed through the open'-l ings 33 and through the passages 34-so`that-thes slide members 3| will close the openingsrand.

prevent the prongs of the plug from being passed therethrough to make electrical contactwith the conductor strips 25. Each of the slide members3| j isf formed-with. afpair. of; slots.35ffspaced from each other a distancegeduaigtopthe: spacing; of,the. opening s, 23.. y

Resilient; means isA provided for; retaini-ngg the: slide members; 3| inpositions-.inwhchthefslots 35'wil'l be out of Valignment.withgthe openings 23; The resilientjmeanscomprisesfapin foreach of the slide membersfBl, whichjs mountedjxedly; in position throughthesidawall i-andevwhichghas its inner end freely*P projectedfinto` acomple# mentaryhole 3] -formed-in theadiacent end ofthe respective slide member 3|. Expansiongsprings; 38.. are` coaxially mounted on the pins- 36x; and operate between the inside face oiithesidegfwall 84 and the adjacent .vendxojf i thesrespectiveslide member 3| urging thefslide,memberscintofposifv tions` inwhich Athev respectiveslots 35arwiilgfbei out o f alignments with the respectyejy openings:y 23:: Mounted across the i. slidesJ members 3'] adjacent' the finger engagingfportionsg 32;; theres are clon-f'l gatedy-pegs139 Asfshown-finfEigs.; 5 toif; Qfand'slo; the ends -ofthe pegsfSSr-prcject: beyondthe sides' of` ther slide; members, 3 f and; engagezther. inner face of the sidefwallsiil 1:lim;,ting:the;action ofthersprings 38pm urging the-slide membersi3| foutwa'rd andl so hold-` the slide?z members: int positions ,'inwhich the outer faces of the nger engaging-pori@ tionsf32 'will be; flush;Withithegouter.: facefof'f' the sidewall l .c

When: it fis desired.; toi' insertv theiprongs ofarrv electricplug,` it' is merelyfnecessary to: press` inf-.- wardron the1exposedifaceiof'thenger'engaging' portion-e 321I of; the respectivefslide: member 31, against thef-action offthe respective-i springt-38;vr whichcauses thefslots .35%.ofthat?slicle "memberf-3| to :beaaligned with thea openings'f23' Thevfprongsf offtheepluggl can then bef-passed throughthe operiingsf23; the` slots;A 35 an'dxinto'l the? cavities 25S to makelectrical'zcontackwith thezconductorstripsa 2 .6: As. long as the yprongs:areaeirtended? into theL cavities 25 fthe: slide' rnemloer-iy 3 iwillzbe-iretainedi against;V outward: move-menti; by the` spring-v 38: Howeventhe moment-fthe# prongs ofthefplugaref Withdrawn; the slides member@ is;- free* to be moved outward-*by4 thefexpansionsprings38 until' theiprojeetingf en'ds ci" the `peg39fstrike the inner faceA ofithetside wall"v I'II.` In thati'positioni thesiotsr35of-tli'e slide member `3| Lw-ill loe-out"offalgn4` menti. with i the openings Zai-preventing'- tiie i u'n-` authorized insertiontr of lmetallic conductive; artic'les'rinto4V theopenings 231 Both :the casing|5`1andtheplate21 aregformed`v of a non-conductive material and on the draw' ing; thosefparts arefillustratedasbeing moldedof aresinousfplasticsmateriall- However; the` showing i iszabywayiof illustration only' as 4those parts `could be molded or fashioned of any desired non-con ductive material. The plate 2| is shown provided with a pair of spaced holes 40, see Fig. 4, through which screws or the like, not shown, can be passed for securing the plate 2| to a wall or other support.

The plate 2| is of a size to t snugly within the openback of thecasingl 5, andmeansis provided for. releasabl'yf; retaininggthe casing.: I5 on the plate 2 I; The releasable retaining means is comprised of a small hook 4I integrally formed with one end of the plate 2| and which is engageable withiaicomplementary lug 42 formed on the inner faceof the adjacent end wall I9.

Atth'eother end, the plate 2| is formed with an unstanding; latchgelement 43 engageable with a complementary keeper element 44 slidable on the end-wall 20 of the casing I5. The keeper element 44 is slidably retained in position upon a supporttmember 4.55bymeansf ofza' .pin' 46 which passesthrougir anelongated :'slot'41 `formed vin the keepertelementilm. Agsmallexpansion spring 48 operatesrbetweerrthezkeeperl element lllLand a part ofithey supportilmemberl: 45? urging the= keeper ele,- m'entd in' aidirectim-,tozengage-ithe latch Yelementi-43a"- Tlieisideof fth'e-keeperfelement:adjacent the end 'walll 20; issformediwitli al laterally extending lugiV The luigi:V 491; projectsthrough an elon. gated-slots@ formedinvthe-:endiwall20, as shownv could" beequally, wellappliedj to a receptacle oiY the. simplex, or, triplex' typei or a receptacle embod'ying; four; .-'veion six outlets, .without departing;l from the.. scope-2. andg, intent oi;4 the. present;

invention.

'While Lhave-illustratedand described the pre.-n ferred embodiment-. -of my:` invention, it is to be understood,that-Iidonot'limitmyself to the precise constructionherein; disclosed and the right isfreserved1totallchangesandjmodications comV` ing:witbinitheesconesoiithezinvention asdeiined.

Having thus described my invention, what I.

Claim" @Si new? aridi desire: to, secure: by United States fettersseatentiiszf ImamGleotreoutltreceptacle; a casing en closing a pairrcniL spacediiconductorstrips, saidV casing-iha/ingfafronttwalllformed with a pair of spaced' openings'alignediiwithgthe conductor strips throught the'p'rongsofanelectrio plug can be-passed=tolcentact tliefconductor strips a` slide member slidabiy positioned? withinsaidV casing;

adjacent*tiierontfwail "and: formedwith aA pair of"A slots spaced a distancecorrespondingv to Vthe spacingof the' spaced-openingsof' the front wall,

resilient' means 'urginggsaid slideV member` intoY a positionin which said slots, will beidisalignedy from the spaced openings. saidslide member having one end exposed at one -Side ofthe casing by which said slide member can be pushed against the action of said resilient means to align said slots with the openings permitting the prongs of the plug to be inserted into the openings when desired, said one end of said slide member being formed With an enlarged finger engaging portion exposed at the said one side of the casing by which the slide member can be slid inward against the action of said resilient means to align said slots with the openings, and a peg mounted across the end of said slide member adjacent said enlarged finger engaging portion, said peg having its ends projected beyond the sides of said slide to engage the inner face of the said one wall of the casing when said slide member is urged by said resilient means to limit the action of said resilient means in urging said slide member to a position in which the outer face of said enlarged nger engaging portion is ush With the outer face of the said one Wall of the casing.

SIDNEY SILVER.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,020,437 Nelson Mar. 19, 1912 1,779,327 Moss Oct. 12, 1930 2,154,160 Hamilton Apr. 11, 1939 2,477,803 Huber Aug. 2, 1949 2,510,745 Kilgore June 6, 1950 2,552,061 Popp May 8, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 15 Number Country Date 463,915 England Apr. 8, 1937 732,287 France June 14, 1932 

